VALSPAR Paint and Primer... Hardner

I have been reading the post on Valspar paints as well as others. I bought one gallon of MS paint along with required hardner and reducer, cost me close to $100. I used this to paint a flail mower...

Overall the Valspar seems to be decent quality paint. I bought 1.25 gallons of Grey Primer, 1 gallon of IH Red, .25 gallon of IH White, .25 gallon of Silver, and 3 8oz cans of Hardner. Total cost with was about $150.

My questions are:

1. Directions on the hardner is 8oz to 1 gallon of paint. Stir and let sit 30 minutes, then use within 8 hours... MS paints did not mention the activation period and did not say to mix a whole gallon at a time.

2. 2oz a quart hardner and 2oz quart reducer (MAX and optional, Naptha) seems like a light ratio. Can I double the hardner ratio?

3. Can I add Valspar hardner to the Valspar "Oil Base Metal Primer"?

4. Any tricks or tips learned or applied for Valspar paints (TSC)?

Thanks,

Charles

for the hardener in the valspar, follow the directions on the hardener. mix it and let it activate for the half hour. the ratio 8oz to a gallon, or 4oz to 1/2 gallon, 2oz to a quart is all you need. you prolly will not gain any benefit by adding more hardner, and quite probably, will end up with problems. when reducing the alkyd paint with naptha, mix a little at a time, it thins up really quick with very little naptha. you should be able to add the hardner to the primer also. as far as any application tricks, it is a heavy bodied paint, i prefer to shoot it at least 70 degrees, make sure what your painting is also warm, dont shoot on cold metal. first coat is a light tack coat, just enough to get color on, dont try and plow the first coat on. let it flash off good, then apply you second coat heavier. if you are shoting 3 coats, the second is coat put on medium, the the last coat apply heavy to get a good shine. if only two coats, then the second coat should be heavy for a good shine. be careful because it is easy to run the paint if applied too heavy, its a lot slower to flash off than a urethane or lacquer. keep it warm for a day to get good drying, dont shoot, shut the furnace off and walk away. it will run.

Thanks there, glennster. I know all paints have different instructions and the only other multi-part paint I have used in the past was Martin Senyor. I was shooting the Equipment Grade paint and the guy at NAPA (brightest one there ???) said the ratio was 4:1:1/2. He said nothing about activation time on the hardner.

What you are saying is with the Valspar is 16:1:1. I suppose I can use the same ratio with the primer (sandable grey). If I do not want to use an entire gallon or quart at a time (directions say to dump 8 oz/gallon into can, set 30 min, discard after 8 hr) can I mix what I want in a paint mixing container? Do I need to seal the container while it "activates"? How long do I need the Valspar to "flash" between coats? The MS was 5 min or 15 min, cannot remember...

Thanks again, I am fairly ignorrant to multi-part paint. I did get some good info from the archives.

Charles

Thanks there, glennster. I know all paints have different instructions and the only other multi-part paint I have used in the past was Martin Senyor. I was shooting the Equipment Grade paint and the guy at NAPA (brightest one there ???) said the ratio was 4:1:1/2. He said nothing about activation time on the hardner.

What you are saying is with the Valspar is 16:1:1. I suppose I can use the same ratio with the primer (sandable grey). If I do not want to use an entire gallon or quart at a time (directions say to dump 8 oz/gallon into can, set 30 min, discard after 8 hr) can I mix what I want in a paint mixing container? Do I need to seal the container while it "activates"? How long do I need the Valspar to "flash" between coats? The MS was 5 min or 15 min, cannot remember...

Thanks again, I am fairly ignorrant to multi-part paint. I did get some good info from the archives.

Charles

yup, just mix what you need in a paint cup. mix, stir it up real good, let it set half an hour. i usally give it a couple stirs during the half hour, just to be sure. have a piece of something like a chunk of sheet metal, there when you paint, and paint that at the same time. to check the flash time, you can poke your finger on the test piece to see if its tacky and not still wet. generally 10-25 minutes, depends on temperature and humidity.

valspar is all I use.. and yes.. i agree with glen.. follow the directions.

depending on yor gun, you may need to add a lil more reducer than it says if it is a syphon gun..

soundguy

I plan to shoot with a gravity gun.

Charles

Have you looked into the TSC Restoration series paint. Its about $15 a gallon more and says its a automotive quality paint. I used this about 2 months ago on a 210 disk. I will say The paint on the side of the can has a excellent shine.